How painful is giving birth?

Question

Please elaborate as necessary.

Answer 1

It's really quite different for everybody. I was really, really, frightened of pain until I had my first and then I got this whole new perspective. So that has been exciting for me! I no longer think of it as something to be avoided! I am now willing to go through pain if I know the outcome is something I need or want. It has been terrifically liberating!

The pain starts out pretty slowly and gradually builds so you actually start to learn to deal with it! Do whatever the labor nurses suggest no matter how terrible it sounds. They really do know what feels better! My contractions felt like charley horses. You've probably gotten a cramp in a leg before. It was just like a slowly building muscle cramp in my abdomen. It hurts but it does end! Besides you get a prize!

Good Luck!

Answer 2

The pain varies depending on a number of factors: the position of the baby, the mother's level of fitness, the position in which the mother is laboring (lying down increases pain, standing/bouncing/squatting decrease pain and make contractions more efficient), if the mother is stressed or relaxed. Also, being induced by pitocin can cause contractions to be considerably more painful than if the contractions are allowed to start naturally. Women who choose water birth generally say the water helps decrease pain significantly, so much so that the majority never ask for pain medication, while women doing hospital births (i.e. lying down in a bed hooked up to IV's and monitors) seem to request the epidural more often. In general, I think the more informed you are about your choices and thus, the more in-control you feel over your own birth, the easier and faster things will go.

Answer 3

Its painful, labour can be very painful, it all depends on the individual and how long it takes. If you go natural you should go
to classes and learn how to breathe properly, first it gives you something to do and second it will help ease the pain, second its all about attitude, if you tell yourself that eventually this will all be over and you have a little baby in your arms it will help. When the head comes you think you'll break in half but before you can even react, the baby is out and it is all over. The more you cramp up and think about the pain, the more it will hurt. A positive attitude is the healthiest one! Don't scream, you can moan but the screaming is awful. Women giving birth since the beginning of time without drugs. And remember if it was sooooo
bad, women only would have one baby. I am old fashioned and women who have epidurals and other means of drugs, don't even know what giving birth is really like.
But then it is all up to you if you have a low pain threshold you might want to try it without drugs first, but then decide you would rather have an epidural. My threshold is very good, I live with pain every day so I learned to ignore it.
When the time comes, it can also depend on the circumstances, on the babies health, your health and the support you have while you're in labour. And don't forget you might be one of the lucky ones that deliver in no time. Good Luck to you and the baby, you will do just fine.

Answer 4

Labor is an intense, painful experience that is necessary to bring your beautiful baby into the world. It's what women are built to do.
There are ways to decrease pain in labor...one and possibly the most important is to be educated. Labor and Delivery classes are great and so is talking to people with POSITIVE birth experiences.
I am a Doula so I work with women who want and don't want medical interventions. My advice to you is to look at the Pro's and Con's of anything that your considering and make and informed decision.
Lots of women decide to have an epidural without knowing the possible side-effects (myself included). This is usually a mistake. When you are in labor and something happens that you don't expect it's stressful for you and just as stressful for baby.
Do your research, ask your doctor, get informed, make a decision. In that order.

Answer 5

Its painful but nothing you cannot get through. I decided to opt against a epidural. I know alot of people use them and I am not knocking it but I am very proud I didnt. I did have some pain medication in my IV but I had back labor and nothing was going to fix it. I cannot describe it. It severe twisting cramping, pinching like feeling. They gave me pitossin(sp) so the contractions were one after the other with no break. My backbone felt as if it was going to pop out of me it was being pushed out so hard

In the end the pain goes away and that is th emost wonderful feeling ever. Yes its hard, may go on for hours but look what you get from it

Answer 6

I gave birth to all 3 of my children naturally and didnt ever use any drugs. I did fine. I am pregnant again with our 4th and will go the same route again. I am more scare of the needle than child birth. Yeah it hurts, but it didnt get really bad until it was close to time to push. That is when the contractions got stronger and it didnt last too long. I dont think anyone can truly tell you how painful it really is. I guess I could say mentrual cramps times 1000.

Answer 7

Almost everyone that has answered so far was happy with the pain relief from an epidural. I had an epidural and it didn't work. I was in the most excruciating pain of my life. They upped my dose and it still didn't work. I can't exactly describe how the pain felt, but I did almost pull the rail of of the bed, if that helps any. But there is good news, every woman's labor is different, everyone's pain tolerance is different, and as soon as the baby is out, you will instantly forget how bad the pain really was.

Answer 8

Every woman is different and everybody has a different pain threshold. My first son I elected to have an epidural and I didn't feel anything! My second son was born completely and totally natural, I didn't have any pain medication at all.That wasn't the plan but it happened that way. It was very painful but well worth it of course! I thought to myself that women use to give birth all the time completely natural!

Answer 9

Supposedly backlabor is more painful then regular labor (there is no saing now which you will experience), but both are very painful.

However it is a pain that you forget the moment it is over, absolutely amazing.

Also an epidural takes away the pain and all you feel is a bit of preassure, it's wonderful!

Answer 10

It is painful but there are drugs. Yea drugs!!! I had 3 kids and each one was different.

My first I was 16 and I labored for 19 hours. He was big. I had an epidural it helped alot. Alot of pressure but not excruciating pain. He came out 10 lbs 10 ozs 20 inches long.

My second i recieved an epidural at 5 centimeters but it did not take effect. It came out because I was able to move. The pain was horrible but it is hard to remember well. He came out 10 lbs 10 ozs. 20 inches and3/8 inch long.

WIth my children getting bigger you would think I would stop for fear of having a toddler next time. NOPE!

My third I knew was my last so I opted for no epidural. Man big mistake. I went in a8:00 am for induction and by 12:00 pm i felt pain. I figured I could handle it. kinda like bad cramps. By 1:15 in the afternoon i was crying for drugs. They gave me stadol and demerol. still hurt. The pain was in all around my abdomen. It felt like cramps times 20. Then Because I didnt have an epidural i was not numb so i felt my baby move down the birth canal. It feels like you have to have a bowel movement. and you will start pushing weather you want to or not. My doc wasnt there when I had to push and the nurse and my husband said dont push the head was almost out. When the doctor arrived(which his office is behind the hospital) i pushed twice and she was out. Very hard to stop pushing though. She was 8lbs. 2 oz and 20 inches long., Finally a baby.

good luck I hope I didnt scare you!